Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni has ordered institutions to speed up preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. He issued the directive on September 22 at State House Entebbe, after receiving a progress briefing from CAF Acting General Secretary Samson Adamu and Uganda's National AFCON Task Force, led by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja. The tournament, scheduled for June 19 to July 17, 2027, will be jointly hosted by Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania.
The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will bring together 24 teams and become the first Africa Cup of Nations jointly hosted by three countries. Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania have qualified automatically as hosts, although they are still participating in the qualifying campaign. CAF President Patrice Motsepe recently expressed confidence in the three countries but acknowledged that significant work remained and urged them to accelerate preparations.
President Museveni emphasized the need for Uganda to complete the required facilities on time and meet CAF standards. The facilities include stadium infrastructure, training grounds, roads, airport facilities, and accommodation in the proposed host cities outside Kampala. The President also proposed a single visa arrangement with Kenya and Tanzania to facilitate travel for supporters, teams, and officials during the tournament.
The existing East Africa Tourist Visa covers Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda but does not include Tanzania, meaning a new or expanded framework would be required for the AFCON arrangement. President Museveni will engage Presidents William Ruto of Kenya and Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania on the proposed single visa arrangement. This arrangement aims to make it easier for visitors to travel between the three host countries.
The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations is expected to test East Africa's ability to coordinate immigration, aviation, road transport, security, and hospitality across national borders. The tournament also presents an opportunity for the region to showcase its connectivity as a sporting and tourism destination. Beyond football, the event is seen as a significant test of the region's capacity for large-scale coordination.
The tournament's impact extends beyond the sports sector, with potential economic and tourism benefits for the host countries. With significant work remaining, the host countries face a challenging deadline to complete preparations. President Museveni's directive aims to ensure that Uganda is ready to host the tournament, which is expected to attract thousands of visitors from across the continent and beyond.
Key points
- President Museveni has directed Ugandan institutions to accelerate preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
- The tournament will be jointly hosted by Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania, with the three countries having qualified automatically as hosts.
- A single visa arrangement is proposed to facilitate travel for supporters, teams, and officials during the tournament.
